The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-26
TIE RAILWAY COMMISSION
Decisions in Four of the Cases Lately
Brought Before 1t for Hearing.
Commercial Travellers Have No Privileges
that Other People Do Not Enjoy-Burton
Stock-Car Case-0ther Railway News.

WASHINGTON, July 25.-The Interstate COM
merce Commission delivered it's opinion this
afternoon in four Of the cases recently brought
before it. The cases entitled Louis Larreison
against the Grand Trunk Railroad Company,
and Michigan Central Railroad Company against
the Grand Trunk Railroad Company were, by
consent of the parties, heard together. The
charge is unjust discrimination. Larreison COM
plains that the road would not sell him thou
sand mile ticket at the price paid by commercial
travellers, and the Michigan Central Company
complained that the Grand Trunk company
selling to commercial travellers at lower
rates than TO the public generally. The defend
ant admits tho facts charged. but AYERS that
aothing alleged is in conflict with the law. The
opinion reviews and discusses at length
the various points set up by the defendants,
and concludes as follows: Common carriers
may continue the issuance of mileage passenger
tickets, the charges for which must be reasona-
BILE and just and free from unjust discrmna-
ton unreasonable preference. Persons be-
longing to the class known as commercial trav-
Ilers not privileged to ride over railroads at
lower rates than are paid by other persons.
Whatever reasonable rates commercial travellers
are made to pay. other travellers may be made
unjust discrimination, and this is true whether
the tickets issued are mileage tickets or in
other form. The refusal of the defendants, the
Chicago 81 Grand Trunk Railway Company, to
sell the complainant Larreison thousand mile
ticket for $50, the price at which said company
selling such tickets to commercial travellers,
and the neglect to publish rates at which de-
PENDANT offering to sell mileage tickets, were
alike in conflict with the act to regulate COM
merce.' Opinion by Mr. Commissioner Morri-
son. all concurring
The csse of the st. Louis wholesale grocers
against the Missouri Pacific embodies a COM
plant that while Communication tickets are sold
at rates which would amount to not more than
$15 for a thousand miles, the thousau d-mile
tickets on which commercial travellers travel are
not sold for less than $50. The commission is
also asked TO order and direct that discrimina-
tion be made in favor of commercial travellers;
in short that thousand mile tickets be sold to
them at lower rates than to others The COM
mission does not regard the fact that commuIa-
ton tickets are put on sale at given rate to be
one that entities the purchaser of q mileage
ticket to complain of uni ust discrimination if
charged higher rates. The circumstances and
conditions, the opinion says are not the same.
The commission finds nothing in the testimony
submitted going to show that the charge of $25
for a thousand mile ticket is unreasoua able. In
respect to the order it is requested to make in
favor of commercial travellers, the opinion says:
'The commission would hardly be willing to
maze such order in any case. however urgent
the circumstances might appear to be. But in
respect to this matter agreed that the
entire policy and spirit of the law against it.
and that when mileage tickets, distinguished
from trip tickets, issued, they should be sold
TO all impartially, and on the same terms"
Opinion by Mr. Commissioner Walker, all con-
5urring.
The case of Ralph W. Thatcher, of Science
tady, n. Y, against the Fitchbure Railroad
Company and others, bodies a conn plant that
whereas the defendants formerly accepted grain
for transportation from complainant's elevator
20 Boston at the proportion of through rates
from Chicago allowed to lines east of Schenecta-
dy, which was practically six cents per 100
considerably higher, and a restoration Is asked.
The opinion says:
THE rates with which complainant finds fault
it is not claimed in conflict with the statute,
unless the conflict is found IN the fact that they
exceed what the roads accept on through bust
ness as their proportion of the rates fixed at
distant points. If that is in any Sc nse con-
trary to the law, the illegality would not be cor
rected by compelling the roads to accept upon
shipments from Schenectady rates less than
charged from the stations further east We
cannot correct one alleged violation of law by
compelling another. If complainant thinks the
rates from Schenectady and intermediate points
to Boston and Boston points excessive, he
raise that question directly and distinctly.
and the co mmission can then enter upon a full
investigation of the facts bearing upon it. But
the question is not made here. 1t is proper to
state that the question whether a proportion of
through rates less than the local rates the
same line can lawfully be accepted, is involved
In pending case, and is awaiting further evil
dence and argument" Complaint dismissed.
Opinion by Mr.. Commissioner Schoonmaker, all
concurring.
The commission has rendered decision in the
Burton stock-car case, the effect that there is
no apparent ground upon which the railroad
be ordered to pay mileage to the Burton compa-
ny. In respect to the alleged unreason ablsness
of the charge to shippers of stock by the Burton
cars in excess of that to shippers by ordinary
cars the commission says the is not salts
factorily presented, The commission is strongly
impressed with the belief that the charge may
be too high, but it does not record finding.
1t commends its suggestions upon this point
the Western classification committee of the
railroads, and retains the question for further
consideration.